Offaly Senior Hurlers 2024

[Kevin]

Indeed that is true. And all Divisions will operate a 2 up 2 down structure so relegation isn’t beyond the relams of possibilty.

2 up 2 down with so few teams can certainly be hazardous.

[Wing Back]

I think having 2 up/2 down will be a much better system for all concerned to be honest. Having only 1 up/1 down was a real problem for the developing teams I always felt.

[Bord na Mona man]

Indeed that is true. And all Divisions will operate a 2 up 2 down structure so relegation isn’t beyond the relams of possibilty.

You'd have to wonder Frank how long this format will last?
Something similar was in place from 2009 to 2011 inclusive, except D1 and D2 were made up of 8 teams each during this period with 1 up and 1 down.
It was all well and dandy until in 2011 Limerick found themselves along with Clare in D2 in with the riff raff and with only one promotion place up for grabs Clare ended up doomed to another year among the deplorables in 2012. That was more than the powers that be could take and the 1a 1b craic started.

This new format will be fine until one of the mighty Munster teams ends up in 1b (or whatever they call it)and concludes at the end of the year that this less than ideal preparation cost them a run in the Munster championship. Que structure change in 2026 2027!!!

Correct. Most competition structures work great until the 'wrong' county ends up in the 'wrong' division, and then the structure has to be scrapped or tweaked.
Let's face it, in the past Offaly were the ones pleading for clemency after relegation.

Same goes for the Tailteann in football. A great comp for those lads down there. Ah wait, it's not meant for Meath, or Cork, or Kildare.

League tables shouldn't just award points for wins and draws. There should be points allocated for:
- being a big county
- bringing big crowds when they're going well
- having lots of money
- growing population
- rural with a dwindling population
- great hurling/football men there
- proud tradition
- developing county
- making strides
- need to be playing at a higher standard.

That should avoid the embarrassment of scoreboards and league tables giving crude and reductionist outcomes.

[frankthetank]

In the space of less than a month we are at home to both Clare in both hurling and football leagues. Surely someone somewhere in our CB brains trust might have thought about the possibility of a double header?

[private joker]

Not up to county board I'd say

[Plain of the Herbs]

Given that it's raining since January 2023 (with the exception of around three weeks in May/June last year), pitches are saturated, and have actually deteriorated in the last week. It'll be a while before double headers are a possibility again. On grass, that is.
Heavy rain tomorrow (more of it) could see matches moved or even postponed on Sunday.

In the space of less than a month we are at home to both Clare in both hurling and football leagues. Surely someone somewhere in our CB brains trust might have thought about the possibility of a double header?

[frankthetank]

Not up to county board I'd say

They easily coud have made a request

[frankthetank]

Given that it's raining since January 2023 (with the exception of around three weeks in May/June last year), pitches are saturated, and have actually deteriorated in the last week. It'll be a while before double headers are a possibility again. On grass, that is.
Heavy rain tomorrow (more of it) could see matches moved or even postponed on Sunday.

In the space of less than a month we are at home to both Clare in both hurling and football leagues. Surely someone somewhere in our CB brains trust might have thought about the possibility of a double header?

Totally accept that as a valid argument.

But how about some outside the box thinking.

Offaly play Clare in the hurling league on St Patrick’s Day. If OCP wasn’t up for a double header how about the football in OCP at 12.45pm and the hurling in SBP at 3.15pm. Stand alone tickets for each game could be made available - €12 for football and €20 for hurling are currently the designated prices. And the a €25 ticket that covers both games could be available. A nice day out for Offaly supporters and the Clare football fans could catch the hurling on the way home.

[private joker]

Play in birr? Pitch probably be unplayable. Camogie had to give up home advantage vs westmeath as birr pitch is unplayable this weekend.

[frankthetank]

Play in birr? Pitch probably be unplayable. Camogie had to give up home advantage vs westmeath as birr pitch is unplayable this weekend.

I clearly said St Patrick’s Day which is literally a month away.

[Lone Shark]

Totally accept that as a valid argument.

But how about some outside the box thinking.

Offaly play Clare in the hurling league on St Patrick’s Day. If OCP wasn’t up for a double header how about the football in OCP at 12.45pm and the hurling in SBP at 3.15pm. Stand alone tickets for each game could be made available - €12 for football and €20 for hurling are currently the designated prices. And the a €25 ticket that covers both games could be available. A nice day out for Offaly supporters and the Clare football fans could catch the hurling on the way home.

The problem with that is that you're now changing around a lot of fixtures, and if you open the door to the idea that this can happen, then you'll have all sorts of horse trading and doing out league fixtures would be impossible. Also, there's no incentive for the away team to go along with this in a lot of cases. Let's imagine it was the other way around, and Clare were the home team, and Ennis could hold a double header. Why would Declan Kelly agree to change dates, all so that the Offaly footballers could play in front of 15,000 Clare supporters, instead of 1500? He'd be mad to agree to that.

If it works out by happy coincidence, great - but it's not as simple as a lack of "outside the box thinking".

[private joker]

Play in birr? Pitch probably be unplayable. Camogie had to give up home advantage vs westmeath as birr pitch is unplayable this weekend.

I clearly said St Patrick’s Day which is literally a month away.

When the pitch could still be unplayable.

[faithfulfanatic]

A lot of empty talk going on.

Offaly have no say in re-doing the whole league fixture schedule.

Plenty of teams face off in hurling and football every year without wanting to re-do the entire league system to get a double header.

[greenairfield]

Clare match is fixed for Birr anyway

[Plain of the Herbs]

The numbers of people who'd go for that would be minimal. Someone from Offaly would be out the door at something like 12 noon and not home until 5.30pm. That's without eating. On St Patrick's day which is a family day and has been for years now.

I think having a round of league fixtures on the 17th of March will be a big flop.

Double headers don't work any more. Too long of a gap between the end of the first game and throw in of the second. There's no 2pm and 3.30pm any more. A 70 minute match requires 90 minutes from throw in to final whistle. Its more likely 1.45pm and 4pm now.

Totally accept that as a valid argument.

But how about some outside the box thinking.

Offaly play Clare in the hurling league on St Patrick’s Day. If OCP wasn’t up for a double header how about the football in OCP at 12.45pm and the hurling in SBP at 3.15pm. Stand alone tickets for each game could be made available - €12 for football and €20 for hurling are currently the designated prices. And the a €25 ticket that covers both games could be available. A nice day out for Offaly supporters and the Clare football fans could catch the hurling on the way home.